Please note: Parental supervision is advised for people making homemade lollipops who are under the age of 15 and/or have little cooking experience. The sugar gets up to 305 F/148 C and is nothing to fool around with. If you get the boiling sugar on you it WILL burn you.

Most of the items listed can be sourced, in the US, from craft stores. UK / Europe / Oz mooks can find them in supermarkets or buy online 🙂

1. In a pot (I recommend steel with a lip for easy pouring) pour sugar, light corn syrup, and water.

2. Attach the thermometer to the side of the pot. Make sure it doesn’t touch the bottom of the pot or you’ll get an incorrect reading.

3. Turn it on medium heat, stir and mix it together until all the sugar is dissolved. Check the thermometer again to make sure it’s not on the bottom but not coming out of the mixture, either.

4. After everything is combined, stop stirring it. And keep it on medium heat the entire time.

5. While you’re waiting for it to heat up to 250F / 121C, get out your molds and place them in an easy place for you to do your pouring. Take your non-stick spray and spray the molds. It’s alright if it gets outside of the shape onto the rest. That’s actually a good thing, because if the syrup overflows (which it most likely will on your first attempt) it’ll be easier to remove. It’ll just pop off when hard instead of sticking, which is a nightmare because the only way to remove it is to melt if off by hot water (which takes forever). So non-stick spray is imperative!

6. Now add the lollipop sticks to the mold. Always have this done before you pour. I’ve seen people either forget, or not add the lollipop sticks until after they’ve poured the lollipop syrup into their mold – and they had some nice burnt fingers as a result.

7. Now you play the waiting game. Wait until the thermometer reads 250F / 121C. Once it does, add your food colouring (liquid kind, not gel). I usually add about 3-4 drops. You do not need to stir it. The boiling will distribute the colour evenly. However if you still have a small spot that’s just not getting coloured, just add another drop right in the place. That’ll take care of it.

8. Now you wait again until the thermometer read 300F / 148C. Now take your mixture off the heat and, working quickly, add your flavouring and stir it in. Remove the thermometer.

9. Still working quickly, pour the mixture into your lollipop molds. The speed at which you pour is something you’ll learn with experience. It’s alright if you mess up the first time. I made teddy bears with my first batch and – since I poured a little too fast – they overflowed to look like deformed monsters…

10. Quickly take the pot and fill it up with hot water. The hot water will dissolve any extra candy. I let it sit for about ten minutes then empty it and melt off any remaining candy by running it under the hot water. Use the same method of cleaning for the spatula and thermometer.

11. Now most people wait fifteen minutes for the lollipops to cool before popping them out. However, I like to wait about thirty. I’d never go less then fifteen though because they’ll be too bendable and not hard. They best way to determine if they’re really ready to be popped out is to gently lift up the mold and feel the underside. If it’s still hot wait longer.

Pop out and enjoy! I like to wrap my homemade lollipops in little clear treat baggies and tie with twist ties. Your homemade lollipops are perfect for yourself, or as party gifts, or (if you made heart shaped ones) as suckable treats at an Alice in Wonderland tea party. You Queen of Hearts, you.